Cinque Terre
by BigMammaLlama5
Summary: It was high time for Xena and Gabrielle to take a break. Be warned, this is an old piece from 2011 that I just typed up and isn't NEARLY as good as my more recent work... Xena/Gabrielle


So I wrote this way back in early June of 2011, and I thought it would be interesting to see how far I've come in just two years. It's not that great, but it holds a little special place in my heart, being the only XWP story I'll most likely write. I told my beta reader:

"I kinda wanna post it and just be all 'So this is how I used to write. See how sucky it is? Now go and read my new stuff and bask in its gloriousness… That's not too pretentious is it?"

I hope it doesn't burn your eyes too badly… And yes, I've actually been to Cinque Terre. That's actually where this was written.

Cheers!

**Rated M for sex and reference to death. THIS IS YOUR WARNING. Be responsible and don't read this if you aren't into smutty lesbian loving.**

**I do not own Xena, but I'd be rich as hell if I did.**

**Cinque Terre**

"Xeeenaaaa… We've been walking for _days_!"

"Quit complaining Gabrielle, I know where we're going." She tells me with a crooked grin and butterflies swirl in my belly.

Our relationship has been a little strained since… Well since Caesar crucified us. A horrible experience that I don't wish on anyone, not even Callisto. I can still feel the nails in my hands and my feet, the biting chill of winter on my naked body. I still have nightmares. I don't dare tell Xena though, it's too embarrassing for me. She's been through _so_ much more than me, so that means I have to be strong. For her. So when I'm jolted awake by the sharp fire of the nail piercing my flesh I leave camp so she won't see me weep. I know she knows, but I can't face her with this. I take solace in my sarcastic whining, the endless walking, and my secretive admiration of her. Well, not really secretive, but just when I don't think she's really paying attention.

My feet pad softly through the forest floor covering of moss and fern. We left Argo and my horse Gio back at a small farm to rest while we explore around Roman territory. I don't know why Xena wanted to do this, but she just kept insisting that I would _love_ it. So as usual, I gave into her beautiful, pleading blue eyes. I can never say no to those eyes. Augh, listen to me! I need to quit acting like this so I can pay attention to where I'm stepping and not that sexy panther slinking along in front of me… OKAY GAB. _Chill_… Chill…

"Gabrielle."

"Bwuh?" I stop suddenly, my head snapping up.

"What's the matter? You really like grass or something…?"

"Wha-buh-_no_!" I splutter, trying to fight the hot blush creeping up my neck.

"Mmhmmm." She hums lowly, stepping over to me. "C'mere."

"O… Okay…" I step forward a few feet to keep a respectable distance, but my heart jumps into my throat when she keeps prowling towards me. I freeze when she presses her cool forehead to mine and our noses brush. I just about come undone right on the spot, but I restrain myself and flex my fingers down by my thighs, digging them into the muscle there.

"Funny, you don't have a fever or anything…" she mumbles, her sweet breath washing over my tingling lips. Her expression is thoughtful and curious. I look directly into her crystal eyes and I see something there that I haven't seen before. I try to place it, but it's gone and then so is she, stepping back and turning to continue on. I let out a silent shaky breath and my shoulders slump from… _what_, disappointment? Relief? The tension? I don't know, but I better find a body of water soon and jump in. A very, _very_ cold one.

After a moment's pause I mechanically take a step and follow after Xena, then call out; "No, I don't _think_ I'm sick…"

I'm answered by another thoughtful rumble and we walk on in a relative silence. The weather has gotten warmer as we move through the rolling, lush mountains that are full of flora and fauna and wildlife. We stop here and there for berries and olives, trying to see who can spit the olive pits the furthest. I win twenty-five to twenty-three, but I think she let me win. But mainly because we ran out of olives…

"Okay, just over that last hill." She finally tells me.

"This better be worth it…" I mumble grouchily, but all in good humor. She grins back and tosses me the last berry. I pop it into my mouth and hold it on my tongue in a poor attempt to taste her. Eventually I give up and munch away. That's not _too_ terribly weird… Is it?

We walk on, but halfway up the slope I smell the salty air and know we're on the coast now for sure. I walk a little faster and stride along side Xena, my mood instantly lighter. She can tell and shoots me a wink and squinty-eyed grin that I love so much and but can't help return. We crest the hill and my breath whooshes out in awe. The bluest sea is stretched out before me, gently lapping on a rainbow of thin pebble beach that meets up with the foliage. A small wooden hut, painted a bright cream stands out amidst the olive greens on the cliff top across from us. The crystal clear sky brings out the crisp lines of the near and distant cliffs in gradients of green, gold, and grey. Warm sun filters down through the canopy and warms my bare shoulders around my leather pack straps. I inhale slowly through my nose and sigh deeply, looking over at Xena who is watching me closely.

"Oh _Xena_, this is wonderful…" I manage to say, my voice raspy and low.

She smiles softly and pats my nearest shoulder affectionately, "I'm glad. We really just needed to get away for a couple days… _or weeks_…" She says the last part softly, and I see the tiredness in her posture and expression peek through. I step closer and only dare to gently grip her strong elbow.

"We can stay as long as we need to." I murmur, my thumb stroking the soft skin in the crease of her arm.

She sighs and leans into me in a rare display of exhaustion and I relax into her, my hand leaving her elbow and slipping around her leather and steel clad waist. She winds her left arm around my compact shoulders and sighs again, resting her dark head on mine.

"I'm… just so _tired_ Gabrielle… I don't know how much longer I can do this." She quietly confesses to me.

I swell with pride inside that she hasn't lost any of her trust in me, and I answer with a gentle tightening of my arm. I'm not sure what to say to her, so I just squeeze a little harder. She understands and nuzzles into my short sun-bleached hair. The feeling makes my stomach flop and I turn my head to her shoulder and gently butt it with my forehead. We stay that way for a long moment, and then she straightens up slowly with a deep breath.

"So. Want to go see my little sea-side villa?" She asks with a toothy grin.

A little dazed, I mirror her smile. "Sure, that'd be nice."

We part and tramp on, but stay parallel to the sea. It takes us about another hour, but we make it up the little hut without any problems. Under further inspection, I realize that it is made out of stone with rough-hewn planks of brightly colored driftwood nailed to it, stucco filling the chinking. A sun-bleached straw and terra cotta tile roof bakes in the midday sun, the musty aroma swept away by the breeze. I stand and take in the beautiful yet almost overgrown cacti and flowers growing up around the structure. Vines twist up one side of the doorway and frame the simple arch. I sigh again as Xena brushes past me and entered the doorway to the small building. I follow her in and stop right inside the arch to let my eyes adjust to the dark.

Xena is removing sackcloth from the furniture with sharp tugs, and it's all in surprisingly good condition. The inside's only a little dusty and I can spot just a few cobwebs high up in the rafters. The walls are plaster and white washed, very simple but showing a vast amount of wealth.

"So who did you kill to get this?" I ask, jesting quietly as I continue scanning the small room. There's a small bed, large enough for two in the back left corner with a big wooden trunk at the foot. A small sitting area is directly to my left, a rough bookshelf in the back right, and a hearth and small kitchen to my direct right. Xena zips around the room gathering up all of the furniture coverings in her toned and tanned arms.

"A man named Giovanni. He tried to double cross me back when I was a pirate, but I let him go after he showed me this little gem." She explained, dumping the dusty canvas into the corner by the bookshelf.

"Oh, so you didn't kill him?" I shrug my pack off.

She chuckled. "Well, not for another year or so when he tried to steal from me. He wasn't the brightest candle out there."

"Ah, I see." I comment, still probing the small abode with my curious green eyes.

"I think it was worth it. The farmer we left Argo and Gio with comes by every half-year or so to check up on this place for me. I helped him out a couple of years back when he was having some local gang problems. It was right before I went back to start my army in Greece."

I walk over to the trunk and set my pack on it, holding my hand out for hers. "I didn't know you were so nice, Xena." I tease.

"I had my good days." She shoots back and relinquishes her saddlebag to me.

"Well I'm glad you did. This will be a nice break."

We take a moment to get arranged and dust off the place a little, dig out the candles, and ready the hearth for later that evening. Xena plunks down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table and begins to removed her grieves. Without missing a beat, I move behind her chair and begin unhitching her shoulder guards and the buckles around her ribs. She sighs in relief as I lift up the entire contraption of shoulder, chest, and back armor and place it next to her grieves on the table. She leans back in the chair and works at the lacing of her left bracer. My hands fall to her tense, broad shoulders and I do my best to knead the knots out of her muscles. I find a particular knot in the top right of her back, in the small spot between her spine and shoulder blade. She lets out a deep guttural moan that shoots all the way down to my abdomen and I work harder to distract myself.

"Gods, Gabrielle… you may have sailor hands, but I love them soooo much right now." She mutters.

I blush and grin, the double meaning causing me to mentally explore where else I would love to put my hands. But I bend down and plant a kiss on the top of her head, then continue massaging her shoulders. I really want her to feel good and relaxed, so I try to get her muscles as loose as I can before she gets up. She surprises me and lets me continue for another few minutes, yet another rare moment of what she would call weakness. I know it might have hurt her pride just to sit there a little longer than she usually would have, so I give a final squeeze of acknowledgment before stepping back. I move away back towards my pack and remove my bicep circlet and wrist bracers. I hear her sigh quietly and the chair creak as she gets up to rearrange her armor on the table to be cleaned later. I feel her presence more than hear her when I'm digging through my saddlebag to check my extra clothing. She comes up behind me and squeezes my shoulders in a silent thank you before moving to her own bag. I bend down and nearly drop my Sais on my feet when she says:

"C'mon. Let's go down to the beach and I'll do you there." She motions to her shoulders in a last minute gesture when she spots my bewildered look. I nod quickly.

_Whoa_, okay Gab, not the "_do_" you're thinking about! She just wants to return the shoulder massage… _I think_. I manage to recover quickly and make a cross between an "okay" and an approving grunt. _Lovely_.

"Okay. I'll get some of this canvas and a few wine skins if you go around back and grab some fruit." She continues with a small knowing smirk flashing across her angular face.

"Yeah, sure. I'll be right back." I squeak out.

I toss my Sais onto the fur covers of the petite bed and exit the small building quickly, scooping up an old woven basket next to the door on my way out. I hear a low chuckle and Xena continue to putter around inside as I trudge away, basket propped on my hip. There's a small path to my right and I follow it around the corner of the house to a small and cramped cluster of fruit trees. I pluck a few lemons and gather as many cherries as I can reach. There are a few late oranges and dates so I snatch those up as well, glad that I had the basket with me. Xena sees me enter again and places a few parcels of dried apples in my load before fashioning a cover and strap.

"Ah, thanks Xena." She _'hmmms' _at me in response.

"So you can carry that and one of the wineskins, and I'll get the rest." She hoists the other skins onto her shoulder and tucks a few rolls of canvas under her other arm.

We gather up our respectful loads and begin the trek down a second small path I didn't see earlier. We take a short time to wind down the steep incline, stopping every now and then to admire the sapphire and emerald coast. The mountains drop right off into the aquamarine water along most of the coastline, but I can spot a few thin white strips of beach in the distance. Way off in the haze, I can see a small harbor town that Xena tells me is called Riomaggiore… Or something like that. Maybe we can make a side trip in a few days…

_Finally_, we reach semi-flat land. Sweat glistens on our shoulders and chests from the summer heat and humidity. Xena pinned her hair up earlier with an extra thong of leather and our bangs are both damp and limp on our foreheads. I'll go ahead and admit that I've been taking pleasure in watching the sweat trickle down her back and disappear into her skin-tight leather bodice. The animal that I've kept locked up deep within me since Perdicus's death has woken low in my belly. It's stretching and beginning to come alive and I'm afraid I'll do something _really_ stupid. Like lick that new sparkling trail from the top of her bodice to up and around to her jaw. _Gods_…

To my relief and my animal's disappointment we finally burst through the trees and onto the colorful pebble and grey sandy beach, a cool breeze washing over our heated bodies. Xena sighs again and leads the way carefully down a strip of coarse grey sand and fine gravel. It's not the white soft sands of the Grecian beaches, but probably the most beautiful one I've ever seen, much less been on. We spread our sackcloth out side by side in layers to create a small padded cushion and arrange our supplies on most of the corners so the sea air won't blow the canvas away. Xena pauses with her hands on her hips and closes her eyes, letting the breeze caress her body. I stand and admire how bright the sun reflects off her raven hair and illuminates her bronzed skin. The breeze cools me for another reason.

I luckily catch myself before she notices and realize that if I don't get into the water _really_ soon, I'll get myself in a situation that could potentially be extremely bad. Or perhaps extremely good… Sometimes I can just never tell with her.

"_Okay_! Well I'm ready to swim." I say to myself quietly.

I hear her '_hmmmm'_ at me again as I bend down to loosen the laces of my boots. She continues to stand silently as I roughly kick off my worn leather boots and shimmy out of my burgundy skirt. I pause for just a slight moment in my top and underwear, debating about taking everything off. It's not like it's the first time we've been naked in front of each other, but the animal is pacing restlessly low in my belly. The hot sun and cool inviting water sways me and I impatiently strip off my remaining clothing. I feel Xena's burning stare on my bare back as I quickly tiptoe to the water. The pebbles and rocks hurt my feet a little and the water is a little too cold at first, but once I wade in and duck under I feel much better.

The ground drops off quickly, and just fifteen feet out I can't touch the bottom with my toes. It's completely clear though and I can see my feet treading water below me. It's so salty I have no problem staying afloat and barely have to work to keep my head above the surface. The rocks and pebbles are even more vibrant underneath me, in rich blues and greens and purples. I turn my attention back towards the shore and my eyes nearly pop out of my head. Why? Well because a very gorgeous, _very_ naked Xena is wading into the surf. Swallowing hard, I paddle around a little, nearly killing myself to tear my eyes away from the powerful body of the goddess approaching me.

"_Sorry Aphrodite_…" I mumble under my breath when Xena splashes under the surface.

I look up at the breathtaking mountains again, so full of silent power and elegance that I finally feel some of my long-lost inspiration returning to me. I get swept up in the beauty for a few long moments, somehow noticing that Xena hasn't surfaced yet. But _ho-boy_ do I remember when two large strong hands grab my ankles and jerk me under. I _do_ manage to suck in a breath of air before the water closes in over my head. The overly salty water doesn't burn my eyes too badly, and I twist down and reach for Xena with the intent to wrestle with her.

I freeze. My heart jumps into my throat and the animal inside me roils in my belly, clawing up inside my chest and threatening to burst free. I can't do it anymore. I can't ignore it and I have to act. This stunning creature of strength and sensuality floating mere feet from me has taken me, body and soul for the longest time but I've been too terrified to do anything… Lest I mess up our friendship. Her raven hair flows around her angular face and shoulders like the blackest ink, her piercing blue eyes blending in and reflecting the surrounding sea. Sunlight dapples and plays across her body, muscles moving under faint scars and soft skin as she shifts to keep herself level. Her hands slide up my calves and grip the backs of my knees, pulling me down deeper into the water; a mischievous twinkle in her eye nearly covers that same odd expression I had seen earlier in the forest.

I lose most of my higher cognitive function as my green eyes lock on her face. Her eyebrows rise when she sees my pupils dilate to near-black. I've already made my decision. I don't care anymore. As I wave myself toward her I register curiosity and a mix of apprehension and… longing. That's what that is. Oh _gods_…

She's so _close_ now and our bare legs slide together in the warm water. My left hand snakes behind her and cups the back of her neck as I lean in towards her pink lips. She surprises me yet again and meets me halfway in a gentle, earth-shattering kiss that blows all of my previous experiences so far out of the sea that not even Poseidon will see them again. Her long fingers thread through my cropped hair and cradle my face as she draws back and peers at me through long lashes. I can't read her expression now and suddenly the animal retreats at the thought of rejection-even though she kissed me back. My lungs begin to burn. I stare back, extremely unsure of what to do, and follow her to the surface as her hand caresses the top of my head. We break back into the world and take deep breaths of the sweet air, still staring at each other's dripping faces.

"I-" She cuts me off with a quick kiss. Dazed, I try again.

"Xena, I-" She cuts me off again, this time with more energy.

She pulls back and studies my heated expression. I nod in understanding and her mouth quirks into a happy grin before leaning back in. This time, I twine my arms around her neck and press my lithe body into hers, inhaling deeply through my nose as our mouths fit together again. Xena traps me within her powerful embrace and holds me so tightly that I gasp when our breasts press together. Her pebbled nipples press into my flesh and it's a wonderful feeling. I feel her deep growl rumble through my frame and my breath hitches when a soft pink tongue laves at by bottom lip. I eagerly open my mouth and meet her in a hot and sensual dance that causes me to groan in pleasure. I slant my head further to the right and taste as much of her as I can reach. We take a few sweet moments of gentle touching and exploration that leave us breathless and wanting for more.

Xena pulls away from my mouth reluctantly with a soft wet sound and rests her forehead against mine, nuzzling our noses together. I grin goofily as she nips and licks an indiscriminate pattern along my jaw and up to my earlobe. I retaliate with a sloppy lick to her salty cheek and she laughs warmly.

"Dog." A lick.

"Cat." I respond, my teeth gently grazing her cheekbone.

"I'm no domestic cat." She growls, tugging on my earlobe with her bright white teeth, shooting spikes of pained pleasure down to my core.

I moan and manage to slur out, "Then I'm not just a dog."

"Deal." And then she claims my mouth again and again with that talented tongue of hers, working me up so much that I slip a leg in between her muscular thighs and the other around her hips. I grind into her when I feel on my thigh how heated she's become and move harder, searching for that desired friction. I feel her breath hitch and she pulls back again, but this time I'm the one growls in frustration.

"As much as I love this," She pants, "We'll have an easier time on solid ground…"

I see reason through my foggy, lust-saturated brain, but only just. I kiss her fiercely, positive that I've bruised both of our mouths and then growl out, "Well you better fucking hurry."

I feel her lips pull back across her teeth in a predatory smirk and she unwinds her legs and an arm from me to propel us back to more shallow waters. My legs wrap around her waist and I shift my weight so she can have better mobility. Xena cuts through the water swiftly while I attempt to distract her with hot, open-mouthed kisses on her neck. Gravity kicks in and she's wrapping her free arm back around me as she stumbles up through knee high waters. My weathered hands clutch at the back of her shoulders as I continue my eager assault on her salty skin.

The breeze blows over my hot wet body and I shiver at the sensation. One more splash and then we're gliding over the rainbow beach with Xena's smooth gait. She turns her head and captures my mouth as the world turns horizontal and I'm placed not so gently on the rough canvas. I growl deep in my belly and arch up into her, my fingers and blunt nails digging into the muscles of her shoulders. A noise between a growl and a snarl bubbles up from Xena's chest. The vibrations shoot straight to my loins and my hearts pounds harder in my ears. I feel her move on top of me and we tangle our legs again so one of her muscular thighs is sandwiched firmly in between my own.

"Now I know… That you haven't been with a woman before… So I'll be… careful…" She manages to get out in between kisses.

I bite her lower lip roughly and tug. "No."

"No?" She plays with my nose, her curiosity piqued.

I use my leverage on her shoulders and flip her over so that I'm hovering above her. I run my hands down her chest and linger on her breasts before sliding my hands down her arms to her wrists. She allows me to lightly pin them just above her head and her pupils blow wide.

"No." I repeat forcefully. She doesn't need to know about the few nights of weakness I've had the past few times we stayed with the Southern Amazons. There's an unspoken agreement between us when it comes to the topic of sex. If we need it, then we just be smart about it with no questions asked. We've both had nights where we don't see the other until morning, but it hasn't been very frequent for either of us lately. Which is probably why it feels like my body is going to combust.

I moan into her warm neck and lave my way across her collarbone as I release her hands. I draw patterns with my tongue as her long fingers explore the light muscles in my back from my shoulder all the way down, down, down… _Oh my_. I can't seem to wait any longer. I lean up quickly and shift around. I watch her face through hooded eyes, her expression strained in need and anticipation. I grip one of her raised knees and languidly press my center down into her wet, hot core. A breathy moan escapes her lips and her eyes flutter in relief, her pulse races in her neck. A sigh escapes my lips as we find a rhythm with our hips and wave upon wave of delicious pleasure rushes through our overheated bodies.

She groans loudly when I brush against her clit roughly, so I work hard to repeat the action. Her large hand grabs roughly at my thigh that is squeezing the outside of her hip. I bare my teeth in exertion as I search for the same feeling and nearly come when I do find it. A cry explodes from my chest when two long fingers slide through my slick folds and push up into me. My head lolls back at the wonderful feeling of being filled and I feel my small breasts bounce heavily against my chest with every thrust. Through the haze, I manage to slip my own fingers into her and pump into her at a punishing pace. Our movements become more frantic and sloppy as the search for that particular precipice builds.

Before I realize it, I'm moaning with every quick exhale and my pulse is pounding heavily in my ears. The animal I've kept locked up inside of me is finally free and it's ravaging _everything_. I'm so hot and so close it's terrifying… I can feel Xena tighten around my fingers and I know she's almost there. I wriggle in a third finger, my bicep and forearm burning as I close my eyes and just _feel_. A third finger enters me and with just a few strong thrusts, she's thrown me over the edge and I can only see and hear white. I feel her name ripped violently from my throat and she convulses around my fingers. I can barely make out a garbled version of my name through the fuzz in my head. Right on the tale end of our highs, she massages me quickly and I go over a second time but not nearly as hard. I oblige myself the same and she arches up towards me with a low moan when I make her come again.

We breathe heavily into each other's mouths and grin lazily. I draw my hand out of her core and rest my wet fingers low on her abdomen. I eek out a small moan when her fingers leave me and twine with my hand on her stomach. Her thumb caresses my knuckles and the amount of love and affection that floods her expression is almost heart breaking to watch. I melt and cuddle into her, my free arm sliding under her head like a pillow. I kiss her gently and bump my nose against hers.

"What were you going to say earlier?" She asks softly.

I pause and think back briefly before answering, "I just wanted to tell you that I love you."

She grins happily and hugs me tightly, blowing my mind with another kiss.

"I love you, too."


End file.
